United States Army commissioned officers rank insignia in use today. Structure The commissioned officers ranks of the United States Army can be split into three categories, from highest to lowest: general officers, field grade officers and company grade officers. General officers encompass the ranks from brigadier general up. Field grade includes major, lieutenant colonel, and colonel. Company grade includes second lieutenant, first lieutenant, and captain. Silver versus gold In terms of heraldic tradition, insignia changes over time created the situation of silver outranking gold. Beginning in 1780, general officer rank was designated by silver stars. Beginning in the 1830s, colonels wore silver eagles, with the color likely chosen because general officers already wore silver. Infantry officers wore silver epaulettes, while other branches wore gold, and their rank insignia was the opposite color of their epaulettes, so Infantry first lieutenants and captains wore gold bars. All second lieutenants wore epaulettes with no insignia. During the American Civil War, all lieutenant colonels were directed to wear a silver oak leaf with gold braid on the epaulette, and all majors a gold leaf with silver braid. In 1872, the army began to use shoulder knots instead of epaulettes. Since generals, colonels, and lieutenant colonels already wore silver, changing the insignia of first lieutenants and captains from gold to silver was logical. Since majors already wore gold oak leaves, maintaining the current policy was also logical. Shoulder knots with no insignia designated second lieutenants. By World War I, metal collar insignia was regularly used to designate officers, requiring a way to differentiate between second lieutenants and privates; since silver bars already designated first lieutenants, the army opted to use gold for second lieutenants. General of the Army / Armies While not currently in use today, special insignia were authorized by Congress for ten general officers who were promoted to the highest ranks in the United States Army: General of the Army, designed as a "five-star" rank, and General of the Armies, considered to be the equivalent of a "six-star" rank. Eight generals were promoted to the rank and title "General of the Army" (Ulysses S. Grant, William Tecumseh Sherman, Philip Sheridan, George C. Marshall, Douglas MacArthur, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Henry H. Arnold, and Omar Bradley), while two generals were promoted to the higher rank and title of "General of the Armies of the United States" (George Washington and John J. Pershing). Congress created the